Phosphomannosyl-enzyme receptors in rat liver. Subcellular distribution and role in intracellular transport of lysosomal enzymes

beta-Hexosaminidase B purified from human fibroblast secretions was used as a ligand to study phosphomannosyl-enzyme receptors in membranes from rat tissues. Enzyme binding to rat liver membranes was saturable, competitively inhibited by mannose 6-phosphate, not dependent on calcium, and destroyed by prior treatment of the hexosaminidase with either alkaline phosphatase or endoglycosidase H. Most (90%) of the phosphomannosyl-enzyme receptors were found in endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes; 9.5% in the plasma membrane, and less than 1% in nuclei and mitochondria. Receptors were vesicle-enclosed in all fractions except plasma membrane. Receptors in the endoplasmic reticulum apparently were occupied by endogenous ligands, but most receptors in lysosomes and plasma membrane were unoccupied. Most of the endogenous beta-hexosaminidase was in lysosomes and was released from vesicles by detergent treatment. Displacement of the residual receptor-bound endogenous beta-hexosaminidase (mostly in endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus) from detergent-treated membranes by mannose 6-phosphate released high uptake enzyme with properties expected for phosphomannosyl-enzymes. Mannose 6-phosphate-inhibitable enzyme receptor activity was found in nine rat organs and correlated roughly with their lysosomal enzyme content. These data support a general model for lysosomal enzyme transport in which the phosphomannosyl-enzyme receptor acts as a vehicle for delivery of newly synthesized acid hydrolases from the endoplasmic reticulum to lysosomes.     

Activity of peroxisomal enzymes and intracellular distribution of catalase in Zellweger syndrome

The activity of peroxisomal enzymes was studied in human liver and cultured human skin fibroblasts in relation to the finding (Goldfischer, S. et al. (1973) Science 182, 62-64) that morphologically distinct peroxisomes are not detectable in patients with the cerebro-hepato-renal (Zellweger) syndrome. In homogenates of liver from the patients, dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase, a membrane-bound peroxisomal enzyme, is deficient (Schutgens, R.B.H., et al. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120, 179-184). In contrast, there is no deficiency of the soluble peroxisomal matrix enzymes catalase, L-alpha-hydroxyacid oxidase and E-aminoacid oxidase. Catalase is also not deficient in homogenates of cultured skin fibroblasts from the patients. The results of digitonin titration experiments showed that in control fibroblasts at least 70% of the catalase activity is present in subcellular particles distinct from mitochondria or lysosomes. In contrast, all of the catalase activity in fibroblasts from Zellweger patients is found in the same compartment as the cytosolic marker enzyme lactate dehydrogenase.     

Rates of ketone-body formation in the perfused rat liver

1. The rates of formation of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate by the isolated perfused rat liver were measured under various conditions. 2. The rates found after addition of butyrate, octanoate, oleate and linoleate were about 100μmoles/hr./g. wet wt. in the liver of starved rats. These rates are much higher than those found with rat liver slices. 3. The differences between the rates given by slices and by the perfused organ were much higher with the long-chain than with short-chain fatty acids. The increments caused by oleate and linoleate were 12 and 16 times as large in the perfused organ as in the slices, whereas the increments caused by butyrate and octanoate were about four times as large. 4. The rates of ketogenesis in the unsupplemented perfused liver of well-fed rats, and the increments caused by the addition of fatty acids, were about half of those in the liver from starved rats. 5. The value of the [β-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate] ratio of the medium was raised by octanoate, oleate and linoleate. 6. Carnitine did not significantly accelerate ketogenesis from fatty acids. 7. Oleate formed up to 82% of the expected yield of ketone bodies. 8. In the liver of alloxan-diabetic rats the endogenous rates of ketogenesis were raised, in some cases as high as in the liver from starved rats, after addition of oleate. 9. On addition of either β-hydroxybutyrate or acetoacetate to the perfusion medium the liver gradually adjusted the [β-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate] ratio towards the normal range. 10. The [β-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate] ratio of the medium was about 0·4 when slices were incubated, but near the physiological value of 2 when the liver was perfused. 11. The experiments demonstrate that for the study of ketogenesis slices are in many ways grossly inferior to the perfused liver.     

The activities and intracellular distributions of enzymes of carbohydrate, lipid and ketone-body metabolism in lactating mammary glands from ruminants and non-ruminants.

1. The activities of several enzymes of carbohydrate, lipid, acetate and ketone-body metabolism were measured in lactating mammary glands from rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, sows, sheep, cows and goats. The intracellular distributions of many of the enzymes were measured by fractional extraction. 2. Acetyl-CoA synthetase was predominantly cytoplasmic in rats and guinea pigs, but was more mitochondrial in the other species. The different location of this enzyme in rats and mice is discussed in relation to the disposal of reducing equivalents. 3. 3-Oxo acid CoA-transferase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase assayed at 600 microM-CoA were predominantly mitochondrial in all species investigated. Acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase assayed at 8 microM-CoA was predominantly cytoplasmic, except in rabbits and guinea pigs. Ruminants appeared to possess little, if any, of the cytoplasmic enzyme. 4. The activities and distributions of NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase were consistent with a role in supplying cytoplasmic NADPH in ruminant tissue, and indicated that this system may also occur in guinea pigs.     

Heterogenous zonal distribution of lysosomal enzymes in rat liver

The activities of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-L-iduronidase and acid phosphatase were all significantly higher in the cell lysates from the periportal than from the perivenous region obtained by the regioselective digitonin treatment of the perfused liver. The activities of cathepsins B, H and L were only slightly higher in the periportal than in the perivenous cell lysates. These results support the view that there is little zonation of lysosomal degradation of proteins, whereas the enzymatic capacity for degradation of glycosaminoglycans may be more active in the periportal region.     

The subcellular localization of enzymes of dolichol metabolism in rat liver

Dolichyl phosphate is an intermediate in the glycosylation of N-glycosamidic linked glycoproteins in mammalian systems, and its availability may be a limiting factor in glycoprotein biosynthesis. The basic kinetics and subcellular distribution of enzymes which may influence the concentration of dolichyl phosphate in rat liver have therefore been investigated. These include dolichyl phosphate phosphatase, dolichol phosphokinase, dolichyl fatty acyl ester synthetase, GDP-mannose dolichyl phosphate mannosyl transferase, and UDP-glucose dolichyl phosphate glucosyl transferase. The specific activity of the enzymes was highest in the microsomes, except for dolichyl phosphate phosphatase and dolichyl fatty acyl ester synthetase, which were most concentrated in the plasma membrane and the cytosol fraction, respectively. The nuclei contained all of the enzyme activities while the mitochondria and cytoplasm were generally less active. The presence of both dolichol phosphokinase and dolichyl phosphate phosphatase in microsomes and nuclei, which contain the highest glycosyl transferase activities, may provide a means for direct enzymatic control of levels of dolichyl phosphate.     

Activity of enzymes participating in xenobiotic metabolism and the condition of microsomal membranes of rat liver in vitamin K deficiency

Alimentary deficiency or vitamin K (vitamin K-poor diet) as well as the vitamin deficiency resulting from sinkumar administration are accompanied by a decreased activity of microsomal demethylases, hydroxylase, NADH- and nNADPH-reductases of dichlorophenolindophenol and neotrazolium. The activity of cytosolic enzymes (only glutathione-S-transferases, aryl- and allyl esterases) is diminished in a lesser degree. Vitamin K deficiency does not significantly interfere with the effect of the xenobiotic metabolism enzyme inducer (phenobarbital) or the cytochrome P-450 inhibitor (cobalt chloride). The changes in the enzyme activity result in a decrease of acetanilide biotransformation. A possible reason for the observed changes in the activity of microsomal enzymes is the weakening of hydrophobic and polar interactions in microsomal membranes. This hypothesis was confirmed by experiments with the use of membrane perturbants as well as by solubilization of membrane-bound enzymes.